Plymouth Arts Centre and The Gallery at Plymouth College Of Art present a multisite exhibition by internationally renowned painter Rose Wylie. As part of History Painting, Wylie presents a cycle of new work about the Mayflower voyage, made between 2015-17 for this exhibition. These paintings draw on the artist’s memories of first learning about the pilgrims as a young child in the 1930s, and reflect on how interpretations of history change across the ages.

Plymouth Arts Centre present Wylie’s new Mayflower paintings alongside themes the artist has painted for many years that resonate with Plymouth’s history, including the Tudor period, the Blitz, and as a seaside resort. There will also be a selection of Rose’s ‘film notes’ paintings in reference to Plymouth Arts Centre’s 70 year history as a gallery and cinema.

Images from the exhibition preview evening, courtesy of photographer Dom Moore.

For full size, high-res images please contact us on info@plymouthartscinema.org.

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Land/Sea included selected groups of work from Perry’s series Môr Plastig (Welsh for ‘plastic sea’), in which the artist collects and forensically photographs plastic objects such as bottles, shoes and packaging washed up on the beaches of West Wales. Perry’s work engages with significant and pressing environmental issues, in particular the fragility of the planet’s ecosystems (be that land or marine), and the tension between human activity and interventions in the natural environment.

Our staff and volunteers said, “An interesting take on highlighting the effect that human rubbish has on the environment. It inspired some of my final project at university regarding presentation of work. It was a genuinely interesting exhibition from a friendly artist.”… “It really engaged with the marine plastic pollution theme”… “I loved the materials used”… “Mike Perry brought the exhibition to the visitors attention in a very artistic way and made you think what more could you do for the environment”… “Plastic and nature collided”… “Its forensic style investigation into plastic pollution in our oceans was such an eye opener, and so topical for 2017. My new year’s resolution is to do a #minibeachclean every time I visit the seaside.“

The runners-up…

With a range of Gallery in the Cinema artist films, Gallery exhibitions and artist talks and events, the visual arts calendar has been jam packed during 2017. Here is a selection of exhibitions which caught our eye through the year…

Astro Raggi from Megan Broadmeadow – “Disco fun and interactive”… “The children I worked with were entranced. The lights, the sound, the installation all added to a multi-sensory experience that captivated and excited the young minds of the children that come to our workshops, and ignited their parents imaginations of their adults too! Loved it.”

Finding Fanon from David Blandy and Larry Achiampong – “I am a fan of CGI, have done some 3D modelling on screen myself in my profession, and being able to sit in close up to a wall sized animation on my own and just marvel at the level of detail is enough for me, without having to analyse the philosophy or psychology.”

Systems for Saying It from Ciara Phillips – “The interactivity of the exhibition was great”… “How exciting to have a Turner Prize nominee working with local groups to produce this exhibition, it was a pleasure to see the work evolve.”

Materials of Resistance from Clare Thornton – “I really enjoyed seeing the ceramics aspect of the exhibition”… “Textures and thoughtful details adorn the walls of the galleries at every turn”

Materials of Resistance is available to view in the PAC Galleries until Saturday 20 January 2018, and will be followed by the Looe Street Detectives, an exploration of the history, heritage and significance of Plymouth Arts Centre site.

Votes were cast and quotes provided by the team at Plymouth Arts Centre – with thanks to Manon Le Tual, Charlotte McGuinness, Kat Peberdy, Mason Craig, Sue Fisher, Flora, Lesley, Kathy Wray, Sam, Lolita, Maria Gammon, Dan Sealey, Pete Rozycki and Hannah Pollard.

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She has produced a sculptural installation comprising works that adorn the interior spaces of Plymouth Arts Centre, employing coiled, extruded clay and draped, printed pieces to explore time and pressure upon materials teetering on the edge of collapse…

Materials of Resistance is available to view in the Plymouth Arts Centre galleries until 20 January.

Photos by Jamie Woodley.

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Ciara Phillips uses the discipline of printmaking to explore social concerns and develop collaborative practices. Regularly opening up her exhibitions as working print studios, she uses them as places for investigation, social action, discussion and debate.

In Plymouth Phillips has made a major new installation that takes over the multiple galleries and social spaces of Plymouth Arts Centre to turn them into a production space exploring the intersection of the personal and the political where she will work live in the exhibition with groups of women from the city to produce printed textiles to represent their voices and concerns.

Here you can explore images taken from the opening night, and of the galleries prior to the workshops taking place…

Image credits: Jamie Woodley and Dom Moore

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Arguably the most provocative, captivating work of the weekend, Ciara Phillips’ Systems For Saying It takes over both Plymouth Arts Centre’s galleries and communal spaces as part of We The People Are The Work – a month-long major visual arts project happening across Plymouth. The project sees six international artists work at five separate venues, with shows focusing on the power of protest and the public. Peter Liversidge takes over the Council House, with Sign Paintings, Matt Stokes occupies the Gallery at Plymouth College of Art with footage following the rise and fall of Plymouth’s DIY punk music scene, Claire Fontaine tackles current political affairs at KARST and at Peninsula Arts, Antonio Vega Macotela and Eduardo Thomas study notions of identity within unconventional communities.

Ciara Phillips’ practice focuses strongly on social action through discussion and debate. Between large, brightly political screen prints, pleasing straight lines and shapes colourfully creep across the walls themselves, encompassing and physically grouping her separate works across the entire space. It’s a beautiful way to unite both the different works, and the possibly awkward and otherwise disconnected areas within the space as a whole.

Commissioned for We The People Are The Work, Phillips actively turns the usual gallery space into one of production, by introducing workbenches, tools for making, and even presenting sample textile works. During the exhibition run, Ciara Phillips is resident, spending her time in the city running collaborative workshops with local groups of women to produce printed textiles voicing societal concerns. These will involve Devon WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality), Plymouth based feminist punk band Suck My Culture, BA (Hons) Painting, Drawing and Printmaking students from Plymouth College of Art and local Youth Parliament members.

Unlike Peter Liversidge’s Sign Paintings, or Claire Fontaine’s Capitalism Kills Love, Phillips’ gentle and open approach delves a little deeper, and attracts those who still have strong and valid opinions but who might not want to march and outspokenly protest, instead meet and talk with others, and bring about a quieter change.

In developing these collaborative practices, Phillips lends a strong voice as well as a place in which to meet and discuss issues with other workshop participants.

Corita Kent’s influence on the work is echoed in the use of bold slogans, but there’s something in Phillips’ work’s brave femininity and elegance that makes the work recognisably hers. Large-scale screen prints dominate the downstairs workspace, and Stop, Collaborate stands out. Not only because of its accompanying wall painting, which complements the citrus yellow well, but because of the use of plain text, detailing notes taken from a previous workshop at The Showroom, London, from 2013. Public discussion, conversation and inclusivity are integral to Phillips’ practice, something that makes her work vital in this current political landscape. It is clear here why her collection has been included in WTPATW, presenting a fitting counterbalance to more confrontational and brassy work; here Phillips acts out our activist’s desires.

Jessica Wright is a Fine Art graduate from Plymouth College of Art

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The Weekender showcases a wide and diverse range of activity for all ages including a large array of events and exhibitions throughout the city by local, national and international artists.

With so many events packed into one weekend it can be tough to decide where to go first – here are our tips for scheduling your Saturday…

First, head to Armada Way for 10:00

The Park Bench Reader

This iteration of The Park Bench Reader will see various benches along Armada Way dressed with classic works of adult and children’s classics. The Plymouth Classics iteration harks back to the works links to bibliotherapy, the notion that reading a classic work of literature aloud over a period of time has beneficial outcomes for individual and therefore societal health. The benches of Armada Way will be dressed with a range of Classic works of Adult and Children’s literature.

Say hello in Plymouth Central Library over the course of the day, where you will be able to collect badges, red carnations and maybe pick up a bargain from the library who will be having a book sale.

Wander past the Whats on kiosk in the City Centre

The Truth Wall from Kiss & Bite Letterpress

Friday-Sunday all day

The Truth Wall is an installation of political letterpress posters organised by the Kiss & Bite letterpress studio, Plymouth.

Like this installation? Don’t miss the family letterpress workshop with Kiss & Bite here at Plymouth Arts Centre.

Pop by Plymouth College of Art

‘More Than a Pony Show‘ from artist Matt Stokes

Friday-Sunday all day

Matt Stokes’ works begin with an immersive research process that explores the social structures of the place he is working in, resulting in the production of films, installations and events. These outcomes hold collaboration at the centre of both their formation and philosophy, often being made directly with people from the collectives they are celebrating.

In his new commission for We The People Are The Work, Stokes has worked with different generations of the punk-DIY music scene in Plymouth to create a multi-screen film work that poignantly explores punk’s legacy of protest and resistance, whilst charting the decline of live music venues in the city.

Make it to The Council House for 12:00-12:30

The Salty Singing Spectacle of Shiny Sozzled Sailors

For Plymouth Art Weekender 2017, artists Edwin Burdis and Tom Woolner are collaborating for the first time on a series of playful and improvised performances. Working with the Devonport Park Community Choir they have created an immersive performance that reimagines the traditional sea shanty. The artists have drawn upon Plymouth’s naval history and civic architecture to inspire a series of props and costumes that will loom large in the performances.

Then take a trip to Ocean Studios

Together

11:00-17:00

‘Together’ is an exhibition of photographs by Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support participants that have been working with Fotonow CIC during educational workshops over the Summer. Inspired by the theme of artists Elmgreen & Dragset ‘A Good Neighbour’ works, that will appear on billboards at the Civic Centre, Fotonow staff Amy Griffin and Esther Scali have been supporting the group of 15 individuals to work ‘together’ in exploring what being a neighbour means.

On your way back into the City Centre, check out Radiant Gallery

I AM NOT A ROBOT

Sat 10:00-18:00

An interactive installation of fifty robots who will sing + dance for you if you give them the love + care they need. Each robot represents a real child in Plymouth in need of a real person or family to register as a foster carer. 

Read the robots a story, give them a hug through the gallery windows, aAs the robots become emotionally ready + regrow their fluff, become an official fluffy foster carer for a week or weekend with the Bureau for Fostering Fluff, + make a robot’s dreams come true. Designed by local children fostered by Plymouth City Council, and built by local artist Eloise Malone, Hana Backland, Mike Cobb and Phil Innes, this is a new immersive gallery installation suitable for adults and children.

Make your way to us here at Plymouth Arts Centre

DWELL

An exhibition of interactive installation pieces which explore the physical and emotional spaces the artists inhabit. Megan Heywood and Niamh lily Wimperis invite the viewers into the small worlds they’ve created for themselves – a mono-coloured set and a blanket fort respectively. This exhibition is also the debut of their zine ‘Dwell’ which has had both local and international artists submit work on the same theme. Dwell has been created as a celebration and recognition of women’s voices in art.

‘Systems for Saying It’ Ciara Phillips

This exhibition is part of We The People Are The Work, a major visual arts project in Plymouth that will explore ideas of power, protest and the public.

Ciara Phillips uses the discipline of printmaking to explore social concerns and develop collaborative practices. Regularly opening up her exhibitions as working print studios, she uses them as places for investigation, social action, discussion and debate.

In Plymouth Phillips has made a major new installation that takes over the multiple galleries and social spaces of Plymouth Arts Centre to turn them into a production space exploring the intersection of the personal and the political where she will work live in the exhibition with groups of women from the city to produce printed textiles to represent their voices and concerns.

Anthrosoluble Dispersion

Anthrosoluble Dispersion is an exhibition and research presentation by contemporary artist Jules Varnedoe. Featuring video, sound, research materials, sculptures, food and conversations with the artist, the exhibition will draw upon Jules’ research into oceanic futurism, displaced geologies, the proliferation of non-native species and the intersection of human infrastructures with landscapes and other organisms.

Historama Drop-in Session

13:30-16:15

The Looe Street Detectives are looking for new members. Would you like to join them? Formed in 2013 to investigate the area around the Arts Centre at 38 Looe Street. Drawn from local residents living and working in the city, we investigated the people and events that made up this part of Plymouth, unearthing fascinating insights into those who lived and worked here over the last 500 years. With support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, we are now going to research the history of the Plymouth Arts Centre site and the people who lived and visited over the centuries. We want to explore who they were and what they did and how their actions meshed or collided with the thinking of their day. Do any of these past characters continue to have an influence on our ideas today?

Finish it all off with Saturday Night at the Athenaeum

18:00-01:00

An evening of music, film, dancing and glow sticks for your pleasure and entertainment.

Kicking off the proceedings, join the Fantasy Orchestra for a kaleidoscopic symphonic brigade of music treats, from Morricone to the Sound of Music; expect psychedelic loveliness, rousing choral noise, and some choice costumes.

Followed by the Video Social Club, an artist-led initiative from Rachel Dobbs, Steven Paige, and Beth Emily Richards, presenting experimental film, video & moving image works responding to the thematic: ‘Faking It’.

Finally returning from 2 decades of partying in a quarry in mid-wales, social vibes will be delivered by 90s DJs Kate “rewind” Richardson and Erin “top-one, nice-one” Bailey, bringing Glowsticksy discolighty whiteglovey shameless 90s dancey fun. Is it art? Who cares?!

While this schedule is sure to keep you busy, there’s plenty more to experience from the Weekender – while you’re exploring the city, don’t forget to hop on one of the Weekender Bus Sessions!

No.21 – The Badge Making Bus from 10:00-12:00

No.50 – The Wonderzoo bus tour from 12:25

No.34 – Orbit bus all day

#PAW17

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Plymouth Arts Centre is celebrating it’s 70th anniversary – cheers to you! It is now, and has been for some time, an integral part of my life.

Four years ago I had the pleasure of helping the artist Sara Bowler deliver her Looe Street Detectives exhibition at Plymouth Arts Centre.  The Looe Street Detectives formed to investigate the area around The Plymouth Arts Centre around 38 Looe Street.  Now, we revisit this exhibition, making new works to uncover and celebrate the history of Plymouth Arts Centre itself, and to shout from the rooftops how much we would love to be able to cement another 70 years of PAC delivering a stunning visual arts and contemporary cinema programme within our city.  

The body of our organisation is the bricks and mortar that we call our building.

The artwork we so proudly show off, is our spirit.

But the people, the people that make us who we are-that is our soul.

PAC is looking for soul mates…(there’s room in this relationship for more than two.)

The longest relationship I’ve had is with the Plymouth Arts Centre. We’ve remained loyal: sharing public and private moments, over the last 10 years. It has guided me through the transition from student to professional. I began my journey straight out of finishing my Fine Art Degree at UWIC University, where I did some work experience, helping out during install of exhibitions and volunteering at workshops.

The Gallery, Looe Street Detectives

This lead onto doing an internship, shortly followed by joining a young persons art initiative called YPAC. This opened the door to a permanent position in gallery education, where I stayed for several years before leaving to have children: I couldn’t stay away for long though and I was welcomed back into my current new position of Creative Learning Coordinator, in which I have helped expand all elements of learning and participation in our galleries, and grown our relationships with our workshop audience.

Plymouth Arts Centre has offered me opportunities no-one else could.

Talked to me openly through the beautiful works on the walls.

These same walls were the home of my labour.

The Arts Centre held my hand through the soul shattering time of the death of my son, and has always celebrated me wholly as a mother, a teammate and a creative person.

We’ve never fought.

I’ve never strayed.

It has always kept me on my toes and filled me with excitement for what the future would hold for us.

If you cannot make the session on Saturday 23 September but want to know more please email Hannah at looestreetdetectives@plymouthartscinema.org

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